Dear Editor
The increasing use of Aotearoa or Aotearoa New Zealand and a corresponding drop in the use of New Zealand, without any mandate from the people, is of concern.
We had a referendum a few years ago on changing our flag and that is how such changes should be made – or not made. There was strong support for a new flag but the majority of voters in the referendum opted for no change, so that was that.
However, there has been no referendum on making an even more fundamental change – the change of our country’s name. In fact, there has been only minimal debate or discussion about it. It seems that it has been suggested by the government that it would be a good idea to use the alternative name/s and an increasingly compliant mainstream media has gone along with it. Perhaps the idea is that it will be become the “norm” before anyone has really noticed. Such an insidious approach is to be deplored.
We should be demanding that a referendum be held to decide if we are to change our country’s name or if we should not. This should follow informed and reasoned debate on the merits or otherwise of a change.
If such a fundamental change can be made without any formal mandate from the people of this country, then what is next? Three Waters, Health Reforms etc will just happen too – there has been very little discussion/debate in the MSM on these matters either and if passed, both will fundamentally change our country.
We need to draw a line now or democracy is gone.
Peter Ryan
Howick